Dems

With the world’s largest population, largest military and a thriving economy, we can ill afford to ignore China’s ascent to a preeminent position in the geopolitical arena. As China constantly evolves so must our paradigms shift. We must view China as an emerging power in a way consistent with our economic, humanitarian and strategic values.

Globalization has hit China in a spectacular way. China has been transformed into a sleek and aggressive economic powerhouse – it’s hungry for more economic growth. But if China wants to sit at the big kids’ table it must first behave.

The United States, Japan and the European Union possess considerable clout at this table. We should use it. The Bush administration has taken a passive and politicized approach to China. For the past three years the Bush administration has turned a blind eye to the damage that China’s persistent trade violations have done to our country. China’s manipulation of its currency, unrestrained intellectual piracy, and numerous trade violations have gone unchecked by Bush. On average, the Clinton administration brought more cases each year to the World Trade Organization than the Bush administration has in the past three years combined. We must use the WTO as a mechanism to enforce fair international trade. Bush’s refusal to deal with these issues has cost Americans their jobs.

China must also be viewed as a potentially strategic ally rather than a Cold War foe. With China increasingly ingrained in the world economy, it is less likely it will act out militarily for fear of the economic consequences. However, the U.S. must do what it can to ensure stable and respectful relations in order to provide regional and global security. Our security relationship with China has become increasingly blurred due to the spy plane incident near the island of Hainan Dao and Bush’s rejection of the long standing policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan. The diplomatic blunders of the Bush administration must not deter us from working with China. Ultimately, the road to the denuclearization of North Korea and to a peaceful Asia runs straight through Beijing and Washington.

Neo-liberal economic theory suggests that as countries embrace capitalism democracy will flourish. The only flaw to this theory is that some political leaders are too weak to stand up to human rights violations. It was Bush’s father who gave China the “most favored nation status” immediately after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Bush has already shown a reluctance to stand up to unfair Chinese trade practices.

It appears that when it comes to China, weakness runs in the Bush family.

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GOP

The United States should encourage the development of modern China, but we should do so cautiously.

There is a lot of danger in waking a “sleeping giant.” This term, once used to describe the United States, surely applies to our situation now with China.

China offers us a chance for tremendous economic growth and trade. With over 1.2 billion people, it has the largest available labor force on the planet.

However, this growth has been stifled until recent years by the communistic policies governing business. These policies have restricted businesses from reaching their growth potential. However, when a free-market system is applied it was applied in Hong Kong, the economic wheels begin to turn. Indeed, they turn at a startling rate.

Economists say that China’s economy in the last few years has been growing too fast, about 13 percent. This should be compared to our projected growth rate of 4.7 percent for 2004, a figure that is recognized as solid growth. There is so much economic success in China that it faces an economic bust. The government has recently attempted to stem the growth by placing limits on new construction and a number of other things, but this is like trying to stop an avalanche with a snow shovel.

With this tremendous opportunity for economic investment and success for China in mind, we must remember that there are still many issues in China that should concern us.

China has a horrendous human rights record. Recent estimates put the figure at 20-30 million dead from a number of different sources including disease, famine and government policy. China can be helped through economic investment and sustained growth.

China also carries a hard line on Taiwan — a nation that they contend is a part of the Republic of China. Taiwan wants complete independence, but it is in no position to take on China’s huge military.

We must stand with Taiwan in the quest for independence from China. We have already supplied them with new military technology and foreign investment in their businesses.

The Taiwanese people have already suffered a lot in trying to create their own successful existence.

We can’t allow China to bully Taiwan around from across the strait.

It is our job as the U.S. to encourage China to expand economically, and thus encourage democratic reform. However, we must keep a watchful eye on China, as it continues to build its military with specifications to fight our own.

We must be cautious at every turn on the road to democracy in the East.